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PES Skill Sheets.book - Capital High School

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The quality of information found on the Internet varies widely. This section will give you some things<br />

to think about as you decide which sources to use in your research.<br />

1. Authority: How well does the author know the subject matter? If you search for “Newton’s laws” on the<br />

Internet, you may find a science report written by a fifth grade student, and a study guide written by a college<br />

professor. Which website is the most authoritative source?<br />

Museums, national libraries, government sites, and major, well-known “encyclopedia sources” are good<br />

places to look for authoritative information.<br />

2. Bias: Think about the author’s purpose. Is it to inform, or to persuade? Is it to get you to buy something?<br />

Comparing several authoritative sources will help you get a more complete understanding of your subject.<br />

3. Target audience: For whom was this website written? Avoid using sites designed for students well below<br />

your grade level. You need to have an understanding of your subject matter at or above your own grade<br />

level. Even authoritative sites for younger students (children’s encyclopedias, for example) may leave out<br />

details and simplify concepts in ways that would leave gaps in your understanding of your subject.<br />

4. Is the site up-to-date, clear, and easy to use? Try to find out when the website was created, and when it<br />

was last updated. If the site contains links to other sites, but those links don’t work, you may have found a<br />

site that is infrequently or no longer maintained. It may not contain the most current information about your<br />

subject. Is the site cluttered with distracting advertisements? You may wish to look elsewhere for the<br />

information you need.<br />

1. What is your favorite sport or activity? Search for information about this sport or activity. List two sites that<br />

are authoritative and two sites that are not authoritative. Explain your reasoning. Finally, write down the best<br />

site for finding out information about your favorite sport.<br />

2. Search for information about a physical science topic of your choice on the Internet (i.e., “simple machines,”<br />

“Newton’s Laws,” “Galileo”). Find one source that you would NOT consider authoritative. Write the key<br />

words you used in your search, the web address of the source, and a sentence explaining why this source is<br />

not authoritative.<br />

3. Find a different source that is authoritative, but intended for a much younger audience. Write the web<br />

address and a sentence describing who you think the intended audience is.<br />

4. Find three sources that you would consider to be good choices for your research here. Write two to three<br />

sentence description of each. Describe the author, the intended audience, the purpose of the site, and any<br />

special features not found in other sites.<br />

5.1

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